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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: TS/H00064X/1
Title: Sustainable detergents
Principal Investigator: Hoerber, Professor H
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Physics
Organisation: University of Bristol
Scheme: Technology Programme
Starts: 22 February 2010 Ends: 21 August 2013 Value (£): 313,072
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Materials Processing Surfaces & Interfaces
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Manufacturing
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Laundering of clothing and fabric is a regular activity required for multitude of reasons, not least of which are maintaining hygiene, social decorum, appearance, and life time of the fabric. In industrialised countries, laundry is done with detergents using appliances such as tunnel washers or domestic washing machines, at temperatures well above room temperature using treated/purified water. In developing countries, often it is done by hand washing with water from local sources and some form of detergents. In both the cases, the detergent wastes are finally exposed to environment. Laundering is affected by four factors, often called Sinner's factors: (a) chemicals/detergents (b) temperature (c) time/duration (d) mechanical. It is an energy intensive and water consuming process, and the surfactants are often contaminative to ecosystem. By designing detergents with more than one surfactants, which acts synergistically, it is possible to (a) reduce the energy consumption by reducing washing temperature, (b) use less amount of water and (c) use less amount of detergent- all three are key for sustainability.
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Organisation Website: http://www.bris.ac.uk